Breastfeeding in public

Shazzer · Post by **Shazzer** » Mon May 22, 2006 11:03 pm

Hi All,
Baby and I made our first visit to the mall today! Hurray - one small step for mankind, a giant step for me!

Venturing out to the great unknown (public places where possibilities of stress and disaster loom) with my newborn is called an adventure in my books these days

Anyhow, everything went well after window shopping for about an hour. Feeling bold with my accomplishment, I decided to reward myself with a snack at the Stockmann buffet in Itäkeskus. And of course as great timing, Baby started crying for milk.

Feeling all eyes upon me, I started fumbling and panicking (not the easiest of tasks to breasfeed in public and still try to look cool and collected especially while getting entangled with the long scarf I had brought along to shield and cover appropriate body parts!!)

Question:
Is breastfeeding in public generally condoned in Finland? I don't recall seeing anyone breastfeeding in public. Back home hardly anyone breastfeeds in public.

I noticed afterwards that Stockmann has a Changing/Feeding room. Went to check it out and saw a woman breastfeeding inside. It was basically a bathroom with a changing platform and a wooden bench to sit while feeding. Nothing fancy and definitely didn't smell very good! Does this mean breastfeeding has to be done solely in the Feeding room?

Looking forward to hearing your experience in this! Thanks!

**Sponsor:**

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Mon May 22, 2006 11:11 pm

Well, its a bit 50-60. I mean it is a natural thing, and I've seen people do it in public. Its a bit of a time&place&crowd thing.

Hrm... now again I don't know if I am talking of talking on the mobile phone thing or peeing in the street...

However its a bit of a controversial issue, if you google "julkinen imettäminen" you can get zillions of pro/con debates of various websites. I bet vauva/ kaksplus forums have a FAQ over it already.

Irbe · Post by **Irbe** » Mon May 22, 2006 11:53 pm

Go on, you can very well breastfeed in public.

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Tue May 23, 2006 12:17 am

If you don't feel comfortable doing it then don't. Either stay home all day or put the baby on the bottle. You shouldn't force yourself to do it, but you shouldn't become a recluse either. I had three kids and regularly fed them in public places but never "in public". It is easy to be discreet about it, finding a quiet corner somewhere, rather than a pavement café on Esplanadi. Your baby will probably enjoy the feed more if you are somewhere quiet.
Breastfeeding never stopped me going anywhere with my kids. They were born in France where relatively few women breastfeed their babies (at least that was the case 10-14 yrs ago when I had mine) but they came to Finland many times when they were young and I don't remember having any problems. I have seen plenty of women breastfeeding here, IMO it is widely accepted.
Also, I fed my first baby "on demand"... in other words, on and off all day. Big mistake. So the next two were fed pretty much at fixed times and that worked well too. Babies cry for lots of reasons, not just because they are hungry. It is possible yours was feeling a little insecure in his new surroundings, Stockmann can be very scary

Sometimes a cuddle is enough. I used to take a baby bottle with water in it out with me too. Babes get thirsty and dehydrate like everyone else.
All in all, I think one of the BIG advantages of breastfeeding is the liberty it gives you to go out without having to plan ahead and/or cart around a ton of equipment.
One other thing.... there have been a zillion posts on this forum about "The Staring Thing". It would appear that staring is pretty much a national pasttime up here and nursing mums are probably stared at same as everyone else.

Anyway, hope you had a good time in town with babe - it was a nice sunny day.

enk · Post by **enk** » Tue May 23, 2006 10:42 am

In my experience, breastfeeding is the only really acceptable form
in Finland, so go ahead and do it. What Penelope says is quite good.

Do be prepared for nutters though, if you decide to use a bottle. I've
been accosted by some nut in Stockmann downtown for feeding my son
breast milk from a bottle (she threatened to call Social Services as I was
*abusing* my son by feeding him from a bottle, amongst other more
interesting libel).

-enk

scoobymcdoo · Post by **scoobymcdoo** » Tue May 23, 2006 10:52 am

Hi Shazzer!

If you still dont feel comfortable with the feeding in public what about expressing milk at home and taking it with you?

I did this but I'll never forget a woman shouting at me for giving my baby a bottle in a public place- what business was it of hers in the first place, and secondly- what gave her the right to think it was formula in the bottle?

I told her in my poiltest English to 'go away'!

Another plus side to expressing a feed is that you can make your husband do the middle of the night feed!!

Come and join us at M and Ms- there are several BF mums that you can get tips from.

Hannah

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Tue May 23, 2006 11:42 am

I think the Finnish women have gotten a thorough brainwash in the neuvola - I don't know if you had it in the news, but baby formula has a bit of a bad ring from the 1970's and 1980's from "African babies dying" because the mothers preferred formula to breast-feeding (nevermind the bad water). So the "propaganda" has leaked even over to us menfolk

One should not underestimate the Kekkoslovakian health-propaganda machine - I remember learning of the benefits of breast-feeding in school

Krisztina · Post by **Krisztina** » Tue May 23, 2006 11:58 am

Hi Shazzer,

public breastfeeding is really common in Finland, so go for it if it feels ok. I usually do it so that I turn to the wall/corner and cover from shoulder over baby´s head with a textile diaper. Also it´s handy if you have a sweater with you.
Stockmann in Helsinki has very nice feeding room next to Carrols. In Sello or Iso Omena (Espoo) you can go to Lasten Piste, they have pretty room for breastfeeding your baby. I guess all big shopping malls have such places, so you don´t need to feed in toilet. In Citymarket/Prisma best place is the dressing room

close the curtain, nobody will bother.

How is your baby doing? Do you have a name already?

Krisztina

zoltar · Post by **zoltar** » Tue May 23, 2006 2:51 pm

Random women on the street are wont to yell at people who feed their babies from a bottle? Jesus. Those noisome old bags never cease to amaze me with their bitter anger directed at anything that catches their eye.

RA · Post by RA » Tue May 23, 2006 4:06 pm

Hey Shazzer,

I think you should feel free to breastfeed or bottlefeed your baby anywhere here. My experience here has been that people are very positive and open-minded about it. I don't ever breastfeed my baby in a toilet. I equate that to imagine if someone served you food in a toilet. Just because she's a baby doesn't make it any different.

enk · Post by **enk** » Tue May 23, 2006 9:54 pm

zoltar wrote:Random women on the street are wont to yell at people who feed their babies from a bottle? Jesus. Those noisome old bags never cease to amaze me with their bitter anger directed at anything that catches their eye.

At least in my case, it was a young bag doing the yelling. Probably
was a kettutyttö in her previous existence.

-enk

Shazzer · Post by **Shazzer** » Mon May 29, 2006 10:15 pm

Thank you all for your feedback and experience on this subject.

I discovered a really great place to breastfeed while out at Kamppi mall today!! It's Lasten Piste located on the third floor next to Pikku Kenguru. For 2 euros, you're able to use the breastfeeding room which is comfortably furnished with a sofa and cushions, a baby cot complete with sheet, duvet and pillow and a changing room. Very clean, quiet and private. I was simply delighted!!!

Spent a nice, relaxed time with Baby and then continued with the shopping afterwards. Very convenient and definitely a stop-over to look forward too while out in Kamppi next time!

Parents can also drop off their kids at Lasten Piste while they go about shopping in the mall. 1.50 euros p/hour. A spacious, clean and well-lighted area for kids to play, take a nap - lots of Legos, toys etc.

I just noticed that Kriztina had mentioned Lasten Piste in Sello and Iso Omena. Thank you! I didn't know what it was until I was in Kamppi today!

scoobymcdoo · Post by **scoobymcdoo** » Mon May 29, 2006 10:19 pm

€2 to feed your child comfortably- I'm amazed, why on earth is it not free?

Glad you found the place though Shazzer. I hope everything is going well. see you at M and Ms soon,

Hannah

Shazzer · Post by **Shazzer** » Mon May 29, 2006 10:26 pm

scoobymcdoo wrote:€2 to feed your child comfortably- I'm amazed, why on earth is it not free?

Hannah

I was feeling so lucky, happy and relieved to find a place to breastfeed that it didn't even occur to me to ask about the 2 euro payment!!

Could it be that Lasten Piste is a private company? (since they operate in Sello and Iso Omena as well?)

anban · Post by **anban** » Tue May 30, 2006 10:51 am

Hmmm..... I just breastfed anywhere there was a bench and anytime my little man was hungry. The wonderful thing about breastfeeding is that you have instantly prepared, sterilized, and perfectly heated food available for your baby at anytime. Just how nature intended it, so it seems a bit strange not to be able to feed your child when he/she is hungry - even if you are out and about.

I breastfed for 12 months (publicly when needed) - no one ever made me feel uncomfortable.

You can buy breastfeeding t-shirts called Boob - http://www.nettiemo.fi/) that help keep things super discrete.
They are a bit pricey but you only need one or two.

Anna

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